I left my tank alone for 1 week and it looks like this!!!

[JACKS REEF]

Okay so I just got back from a week long trip and this is what my reef tank looks like. Algae everywhere. All I need is the identification of the algae and how to treat it that’s all. I think it could be cyano or Dino’s but it’s your decision. Please help. BTW my tank is 1 year old.

 

[Old Fritz]

pictures aren't super clear but I'm going to say diatoms. If those are bubbles in the last pic it might be dinos, but for now lets assume diatoms.

Is this a fairly new tank? if so that's pretty normal. typically they starve themselves out after that eat all the silica in the water. You probably want to add a bunch of trochus, nerite, and cerith snails to control it. If the stuff doesn't die off after a while you probably have silicates being introduced through your water (unless you are using rodi)

 

[JACKS REEF]

pictures aren't super clear but I'm going to say diatoms. If those are bubbles in the last pic it might be dinos, but for now lets assume diatoms.

Is this a fairly new tank? if so that's pretty normal. typically they starve themselves out after that eat all the silica in the water. You probably want to add a bunch of trochus, nerite, and cerith snails to control it. If the stuff doesn't die off after a while you probably have silicates being introduced through your water (unless you are using rodi)

No this is a 1 year old tank

 

[sawdonkey]

I see some snottiness, so I’d guess dinos.

 

[Old Fritz]

No this is a 1 year old tank

I see some snottiness, so I’d guess dinos.

so its probably dinos then which are a pain to get rid of. Luckily I've never had them, but there are a few guides online for things you can try. Here's one from brs.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Diatoms and some cyano. Clean glass and do a good siphoning. I assume you have to no clean up crew which would have prevented this
Add:
Turbo snails
Astrea snails
Nassarius snails
Trochus snails
6-8 blue leg hermit crabs

 

[JACKS REEF]

Diatoms and some cyano. Clean glass and do a good siphoning. I assume you have to no clean up crew which would have prevented this
Add:
Turbo snails
Astrea snails
Nassarius snails
Trochus snails
6-8 blue leg hermit crabs

Yeah I have 1 nassarius snail and it hasn’t died that’s why I don’t think it’s Dino’s

 

[Fishingandreefing]

Looks like the tank is not big nor got a lot of live stocks. So, I would clean, do a 50% water change. Some works should be ok after a week or so.

 

[James M]

Did you upgrade you cuc from last time ?

 

[Camaro Show Corals]

Yeah I have 1 nassarius snail and it hasn’t died that’s why I don’t think it’s Dino’s

You need about 15 Nassarius....

 

[JACKS REEF]

Did you upgrade you cuc from last time ?

Only got 2 nassarius snails but one died or something.

 

[xxkenny90xx]

Yeah I have 1 nassarius snail and it hasn’t died that’s why I don’t think it’s Dino’s

One nassarius isn't a clean up crew, it's a one armed janitor. Time to pick some more up

 

[vetteguy53081]

Yeah I have 1 nassarius snail and it hasn’t died that’s why I don’t think it’s Dino’s

Add CUC ASAP

 

[James M]

Only got 2 nassarius snails but one died or something.

You’re going to get the same advice as last time. I would get more cuc members. You can buy a pack at reef cleaners for a great price

Reef Cleaners - Clean up Crews and Macroalgae

We specialize in algae eating invertebrates, natural filtration, and algae solutions for saltwater aquariums.

www.reefcleaners.org

 

[JACKS REEF]

You’re going to get the same advice as last time. I would get more cuc members. You can buy a pack at reef cleaners for a great price
Reefcleaners.org

So are you sure it’s diatoms on one of the rock It looks like it has some bubbles

 

[OSU]

CUC is always good advice. I would check your Nitrate and Phosphate. I have seen cyano and dino pop up when you bottom out one or both of these.

 

[Dylan7huskies]

I’d do a water change while siphoning the sand

 

[JCTReefer]

Microscope is always handy.

 

[Luckyduck]

+1 to "One snail is not a clean up crew"
You need way more than one! What are you thinking?! Lol
Get a dozen snails and you most likley have an underlying issue like Silicates in your top off water or high Nitrates and Phosphates. Do you test your water?

 

[JACKS REEF]

+1 to "One snail is not a clean up crew"
You need way more than one! What are you thinking?! Lol
Get a dozen snails and you most likley have an underlying issue like Silicates in your top off water or high Nitrates and Phosphates. Do you test your water?

Yes I just tested 15 ppm nitrate is that too much? Because I thought that was okay.